'Bread Making 101

 

 

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  Since the weather is warming and bread will raise really well its time for some quick and easy Bread recipes!

 

 

No Knead Bucket Bread Bucket Method
 

Single Loaf Batch
3 cups All-purpose or bread flour (or blend)
¼ Tsp instant yeast
1¼ Tsp salt
1 5/8 C 90 degree water
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

(Credit Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery, NYC)

 4X Batch by weight

54 OZ All Purpose or blend bread flour (3# 6 OZ)

1 Tsp Yeast

2 Tbs Salt
6 ½ Cups 90 Degree Water

2#10 ½ OZ Water (Stiffer Dough)

OR

 2# 14 Oz Water (Focaccia)

1.      Put hot tap water in the bucket. Sprinkle yeast, set aside

2.     Combine the flour and salt

3.     Find a plastic bottle that holds at least as much water as you need. Measure the water and mark the level with a marker. Next time just fill to the line. Something with a big mouth is nice.

4.      Sprinkle the flour mixture into the water while stirring with a stiff spat. Stir until smooth. Alternately, mix with your hands.

5.     Snap on the lid and forget about it for eight to ?? hours. Room temperature or less is fine. This long ferment replaces kneading and allows more complex flavors to develop.

6.      Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. It will remain useable for at least twelve hours after that point, much longer if refrigerated. Lightly flour a work surface and gently scrape the dough from the bucket onto surface; fold it over on itself once or twice with a scraper. The idea here is to not knead, just gently stretch. Let rest about 15 minutes.

7.       Grease or oil some kind of baking pan lightly. Consider a light sprinkling of corn meal and/or some sesame seeds in the pan. Disposable pie tins sized to fit your dutch oven work very well for this.

8.     After the rest, divide dough into desired number of loaves. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, gently and quickly shape dough into balls. Gently roll the dough in the pan, cover, and let rise. Don’t look for it to double like most recipes. Just wait until it is noticeably bigger, maybe an hour at room temperature.

9.     Heat oven/Dutch Oven 400-450. Place pie tin with dough in the dutch oven and cover. Time depends on loaf size, oven temperature and personal preference. Look for an internal temp of 105 or so. A winning combination is thirty minutes at 400. Thump, hear the hollow. Remember the sound and feel for next time.  Observe the color, find your preference over time.

10.   Some things to know: Relax. There is a lot of latitude in all this. It’s just bread. Very fresh bread is so good because the yeast and other volatile flavors are there when fresh, then not, so serve it warm from the oven if you can.  Keep your tools simple and work to avoid clean up. The best way to clean a bread bucket is to let it dry and flake off. Bad bugs don’t grow well in yeast products like bread and beer. Weighing is much better than measuring because flour packs down and can vary in volume by a huge percentage.
Supplies: 1-2  small buckets w/lids, cookie sheets or pie tins, vegetable oil or lard, salt, flour, corn meal, sesame, a towel, teaspoon and tablespoon measure, cup measure, yeast, digital kitchen scale (optional), and a dough scraper. Store flour in a sealed bucket or risk moths. Relax and have fun. Food is love.

 
 
Bisquick

Ingredients

  • 9 cups flour

  • 2/3 cup non-fat dry milk

  • 3 tblsp. baking powder

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 cup shortening (I use lard)

    Directions

    Mix dry ingredients, cut in shortening.

    Store in a cool place.

    Use in place of commercial bisquick.
 

Brotchen (German Rolls)

Ingredients

  •         2 1/2-3 cups flour

  •         2 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast

  •         1 teaspoon sugar

  •         1 teaspoon salt

  •         1 teaspoon oil

  •         1 cup warm water

  •         1 egg white

Directions

1.           Preheat oven to 450°F.

2.           Pour 2 1/2 cups flour into a large bowl and form a well in the center.

3.           In a separate container, mix yeast, sugar, and two tablespoons water (water comes from the 1 cup above).

4.           Pour yeast mixture into the well but do not mix with the flour at this time.

5.           Cover bowl with a cloth and set it in a warm place for 15 minutes to rise.

6.           Add remaining water and oil and beat until mixed. Add SALT.

7.           Turn dough out onto counter and knead until smooth. Adding remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed.

8.           Put dough in bowl, cover and let rise until double in size. (about 30-40 minutes).

9.           Punch down and divide dough into 12 parts.

10.       Shape into oval rolls and place 3" apart on greased and floured cookie sheet.

11.       Cover and let rise until double in size.

12.       Beat egg white and 1 tsp water with a fork until frothy and brush onto rolls.

 

    Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

    The time is an estimate, depending on how fast your dough rises.
 
Cheddar Cheese Scones

 

"Rumour is that this recipe is the one they use at Red Lobster. Ever go there and they offer these little cheese scones that everyone wants and they can keep em comming? I'll tell you, I make these at home and they are the best I've ever tasted. A little thing I tried also, I brush the scones with butter AFTER they are cooked. I find I like it a lot like that."

Ingredients

  •         2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix ( Purchased)

  •         1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, Finely Grated

  •         3/4 cup whole milk

  •         2 tablespoons butter, Melted

  •         1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

  •         1/4 cup butter, Melted

  •         1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  •         1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes, Dried

Directions

1.           Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2.           Combine Bisquick with cheddar cheese, milk, 2 tablespoons of butter that has been melted in the microwave, and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder in a medium bowl.

3.           Mix until well-combined.

4.           Drop approximately 1/4-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

5.           Combine 1/4 cup butter with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, parsley flakes and salt.

6.           Brush this mixture over the tops of each unbaked biscuit.

7.           Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

8.           Serve Warm.
 
Pizza Crust - chewy and soft

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

 Directions:

1.       In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.

2.       Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.

3.       Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.

4.       Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.

5.       Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.